2018 Budget: RM2B To Improve Tourism Industry

KUALA LUMPUR: The government today proposed an allocation of RM2 billion in 2018 Budget as tourism fund to provide loans for operators next year.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the fund to assist the small and medium-scale enterprises would provide loans at subsidised interest rate of two per cent.

“Of the amount, RM1 billion will be allocated for Tourism Infrastructure Development Fund as soft loans,” he said.

Najib said RM500 million would be used for development and promotion activities through improved tourism facilities, homestay and eco-tourism programmes.

He said the government also proposed to expand eVisa regional hub to ease visa applications worldwide especially to expatriates, foreign students and Malaysia My Second Home programme.

He said RM30 million would be allocated to boost end-to-end service in medical health tourism as well as promote In Vitro Fertilisation technology to Asia to be managed by Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council.